14 music acts, 7 stages and one mission

Tuesday

May 27, 2014 at 4:43 PM

The Town of Smyrna is teaming up with Wilmington-based Gable Music Ventures to throw a summer street party. Dubbed "Smyrna at Night," the event will showcase music and downtown Smyrna venues simultaneously.

Not content to watch other towns reap the benefits of summer music festivals, the Town of Smyrna is teaming up with Gable Music Ventures, a booking company based in Wilmington, for a single night of music in downtown Smyrna.

Despite not having an official lineup, the festival announcement came at 4 p.m., Tuesday, May 27, courtesy of the Gable Music Ventures Facebook page. The Town of Smyrna’s Public Information Officer Dawn Thompson said that artist contracts are still being negotiated and that the final list should be ready for release Thursday night or Friday morning.

The list may not be finalized but several festival components are already in place. Fourteen local and regional acts will perform across seven stages set up at or near well-known downtown venues: Sheridan’s Irish Pub, Odd Fellows, Painted Stave, Smyrna Opera House, Town Hall and 1 N. Main Street.

The festival will also be family-friendly, requiring no ticket purchases to attend.

“We want to wake up downtown, show off our venues and remind everyone how much there is to enjoy in downtown Smyrna,” Thompson said when asked about the inspiration for “Smyrna at Night.” “We have places like Sheridan’s, which has been around for a while and new places like Painted Stave Distilling that we want to introduce more people to.”

In addition to music, Thompson said festival organizers are also looking into walkable dining options like food trucks so people can grab a bite to eat while they pop in and out of venues.

“We want it to be like a street party and for it to have a laid-back, fun street-festival vibe,” she said. “We’re all very excited about it.”

“Smyrna at Night” is scheduled for Thursday, June 26 between 5:30 and 10 p.m. The festival and entrance to all venues will be free. Additional purchases of food, drinks or other items will have separate charges.